


You dawg, you

by bettsc



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Hot Dog may or may not give it, Inspired by 101 Dalmatians, No dogs were harmed in the making of this, The Author Regrets Nothing, The amount of fluff is borderline ridiculous, These two just need a little push, bughead - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-27 17:48:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19795918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bettsc/pseuds/bettsc
Summary: They call it puppy love.





	You dawg, you

_Hmm hmm hmmm_

_Hm hmmm hmm_

Jughead hums, as his spindly fingers plunk out a tune on the old upright Steinway. There is an ache in his back having spent most of the morning and afternoon hunched over the piano and his notebook trying to finish the lyrics to the jingle he was writing. The loud snoring sounds coming from a four legged beast on the floor weren’t aiding the situation.

The beast in question is Hot Dog, Jughead’s canine best friend and old English sheepdog. 

_At least someone around here can relax,_ he thinks as he stares at the dog fast asleep on the plush bed that had, in fact, cost more than his own. 

Jughead turns his attention back to the piano and his notes and takes a sip of now lukewarm coffee. He hears Hot Dog stir behind him, his tags jingling with a shake of his large head. A few moments later, that large fluffy head finds its way to Jughead’s thigh. 

“Have a nice nap boy?” he asks while giving Hot Dog a solid scratch behind his right ear. Jughead had always been fascinated with the relationship between humans and dogs. Hot Dog was more than a pet, he was family. And unlike family, well, a dog’s love was unconditional. 

He feels Hot Dog nudge his thigh with his nose. “What?” 

The lumbering beast moves his head to go stand near the front door. With a whine, he paws at the dangling leash beside it.

Jughead stands and stretches, a few bones popping here and there, “Alright, then. A guy can take a hint.” He shrugs on his old sherpa jacket and his favorite beanie then attaches the leash to Hot Dog’s collar. “Maybe a little fresh air will do us both some good.” 

...

When the cool autumn breeze whips around him outside, Jughead is immediately grateful that he hadn’t forgone his coat in lieu of just a flannel. Affixing his beanie a little more securely on his head, he leads Hot Dog down the street and towards St. James park. 

London had checked off the three things on his list when he began his search for a new city and change of scenery: a place where Hot Dog could get outside everyday, good food and reasonable rent. 

Okay _,_ so in reality London had checked off two of the three and the third just came in the form of a tiny flat with a questionable landlady. 

The often mercurial and dreary weather suited him just fine, and as his writing partner and other best friend Archie had so cleverly commented, “fit his emo aesthetic.” Jughead had of course, scoffed at the statement and then tightened the flannel around his waist just a bit more. Say what you want about English food, but Jughead was more than happy to stuff his face with savory meat pies and Indian food on the daily. 

Besides the food and weather, he loved that London had the feeling of being home in New York City, but was just different enough to bring the needed change of scenery he so desperately needed for his writing. The jingle writing gig with Archie was how he made money, but his real passion lay in a Google drive full of short stories and a half written novel.

St. James Park was one of his favorites in the city, and though he’d be loathe to admit it, he loved the changing color of the leaves during the fall. The expansive park was home to several small islands, ponds, and trails; it also allowed for maximum people watching for Jughead and duck chasing for Hot Dog. 

On this particular afternoon, the duo strolled through the park for awhile before Jughead found himself a bench to sit down on and he unclipped Hot Dog’s leash. The dog took off after a squirrel and when he had successfully chased the small creature up a tree, he mosied back over to hop on the bench and sit beside Jughead. 

“You sure showed that squirrel what’s up, huh, boy?” he laughed as Hot Dog barked triumphantly. Jughead chuckled and pulled out an old copy of _In Cold Blood_ that he stashed in his coat before they’d left the flat. 

After a few chapters, his mind began to wander and he put down the book to look out over the pond; Hot Dog milling about around the bench and a nearby tree. He saw a couple walking along the path and felt a strange pang in his chest. Jughead had been in London for a year now, but was still lacking in the friendship department--more so, the non-canine companion area. It wasn’t that he was actively looking for someone, but he’d admit that he was a little lonely from time to time. Other than Hot Dog, his closest friends and family were back in New York. Archie had suggested one of those god awful dating apps. Jughead hit a low point about a month ago and downloaded it to see what it was all about. A few swipes in, and he gave up. 

If he met someone, it would happen eventually. The universe worked in strange ways and so he would let it do it’s thing for the time being. 

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt something pull on the back of his head and he turned around to find that Hot Dog had snatched his beanie from him. 

“Hey! Give that back, you little mongrel. You know that’s my favorite!” he laughed playfully. 

Hot Dog ducked to one side of the bench, Jughead to the other and as he went back the other way Jughead reached for the beanie and just missed. Hot Dog gave a stifled bark through the mouthful of wool and then scampered down the path towards the other benches along the bank of the pond. 

Jughead waived his hands the leash in the air, “Hot Dog! Wait, come back here!” 

Hot Dog was fast, but Jughead was tall and he quickly caught up to him. After maneuvering through some of the other park goers on the path, he caught up to the dog. But as the grey and white beast came into view, he saw that Hot Dog had no intention of slowing down and was about to plow into a blonde woman and her spotted dog. 

…

“Elizabeth, Darling!” 

“Oh! Good Morning, Cheryl!” Betty says as she attempts to inconspicuously shuffle the sketches around on the desk so that they’re covering her practice LNAT exam. 

The woman who had just materialized at her desk was none other than her boss, fashion design icon, and counse, Cheryl Blossom. While Cheryl was often antagonizing and occasionally quite mean, she also knew her shit and was a force to be reckoned with. The House of Blossom had been a long standing institution within the fashion world. With its namesake designer’s love of all things leather and spiked, the designs were very popular amongst the _rock-chic elite._ Cheryl Blossom herself wouldn’t be caught dead without her trademarked six-inch black heels or leather jacket. 

Betty still thinks that if she wasn’t a relative of the Blossom family or a talented designer, she would not have her job. While she had an appreciation for the black and leather, she tended to gravitate towards earth tones and soft fabrics. Today is no exception, and there is a striking difference between the new cream blouse Betty had paired with a navy blue cardigan and Cheryl’s mini leather dress and dalmatian printed mink coat. 

The curves of Cheryl’s red painted lips turned upward in a sickeningly sweet smile, “I just wanted to pop in to see if you’d finished that sketch for Penny Peabody’s dress?” 

“Yes! It’s right here. “ She pulled the sketch from where it had been clipped to her drafting table and handed it to Cheryl. Betty had never been very close to her cousin, what with her exponentially larger reputation and following, but they were at most times very civil with one another and got along just fine. 

Cheryl’s eyes roamed over the details of the sketch and after a beat said, “Excellent work, Elizabeth. We’ll clean it up a bit and send it over this afternoon.” 

“Great, I’m glad you like it,” before adding under her breath, “also _it’s Betty_.”

“What was that, Elizabeth?” 

Betty sighs, “Please call me Betty, Cher. It feels like I’m working for my mum when you use my full name.” 

The moment the words left her mouth, Betty regretted them. Cheryl was clearly in _a mood_ this morning, and was not having any of Betty’s sass. 

With a slight hint of venom in her voice she says too calmly, “Listen, dear _Betty_ , just because you’re my cousin doesn’t mean you still don’t work for The House of Blossom.” She arches a perfect shaped brow to make her point, “Understand?” 

Betty manages to hold in her sigh, and nods in affirmation.

“Good.” Cheryl flips her long red hair over her shoulder and eyes the framed photo on Betty’s desk. “Because if you’re not careful, I might make that little pooch of yours into a handbag to match my coat.” 

“Ugh, _Cheryl_. Come on, now. _Seriously_?” 

She smirks and waves the sketch in the air with fiery red nails, “Toodles, _Elizabeth_.” 

One practice LNAT test down and hours later, Betty is relieved when she can finally leave for the day. It’s not that she doesn’t love the creative aspects of her job, it’s the part she actually likes the most. Being a part of the fashion world has always been exciting and exhilarating, but Betty felt that it was sometimes superficial. She wants to help people, and not just by designing beautiful clothes that only the elite could afford. She’d been studying for LNAT, the _Law National Aptitude Test_ , for months now in hopes of being able to secure admission to a law school. There were two sides to Betty; one that loved to design and be innovative and the other that longed for logic and reasoning. 

Her commute home is short, only a few tube stops away from her flat and when she pulls out her keys to open the front door she’s met with excited barking and dogs kisses. 

She firmly believes that there was nothing better in the world than being greeted by a dog. 

Betty had found Caramel from a breeder who was going to put her down because she was, well, _an oddball_. Instead of the black spots dalmatians were known for, Caramel was covered in brown spots. 

“Hi there, good girl! And how was your day?” Betty hangs her bag by the door and grabs Caramel’s leash. “Let me get my coat and we’ll go for a walk, okay?” 

Caramel barks in confirmation and patiently sits by the front door as she watches Betty grab a heavier coat and attach her leash; her tail beating excitingly against the door the whole time. 

Betty and Caramel walked daily through St. James Park, and it’s part of her routine that she loved most. Betty had grown up in a little suburb of London, and was so excited when she moved to the city for university. The bustle of the city and the quiet calm of the park was a dichotomy that made her incredibly happy. 

Today, they amble towards the Tiffany Fountain and Duck Island. Caramel trotts alongside Betty as they make their way down to the path that lines the pond. There are a few people milling around, sitting on a bench or walking, but it was a relatively quiet day in the park. After a chaotic day of trying to please Cheryl Blossom, this serenity was welcome. 

That quiet however, was interrupted by a man shouting something about a hot dog. 

...

_Sniff._

_Sniff sniff sniff._

_Yeah, I definitely peed here last week,_ Hot Dog thought has he lifted his leg again. 

Walking around the tree once more and feeling thoroughly satisfied with himself, he turns his attention to his owner sitting on the bench. 

_He seems off lately._

_Sad? No. Hungry? No. He eats more than me._

_Though he has been drinking more of that hot liquid stuff that makes him stay up later._

_Maybe a new squeaky toy would cheer him up. I’ll share mine with him later when we are home._

He sees Jughead move his attention from the book in his lap to two people holding hands and walking along the path near the pond. Jughead’s face remains neutral, but there’s a curiosity in his eyes as he watches the couple. 

_Oh, maybe he’s lonely. It’s just us now, but that’s okay._

_At least I don’t have hide those awful cookies that his friend Archie used to bring me. Jughead didn’t like it when I hid one in his bed…or in his shoe._

_Maybe he just needs another friend._

The breeze shifts and Hot Dog sniffs the air. It brings along with it the smell of flowers and something pretty, also the sound of jingling tags which catches his attention further. He sees in the distance a woman walking with her spotted dog. 

_That friend looks pretty and she has a dog too, plus she smells nice._

Hot Dog looks at his owner but he it doesn’t seem to notice the woman; his head already buried back in the book. It’s not until after the woman and her dog have passed by that Jughead looks up. 

_Anything will do to attract attention, just need to stir things up a bit._

At first, he has no plan, and then it dawns on him as he sees Jughead adjust his beanie. Without any further delay, Hot Dog jumps and tugs the beanie straight off his head. 

“Hey! Give that back, you little mongrel. You know that’s my favorite!” says Jughead with a laugh. 

Hot Dog growls lowly, and moves to one side as Jughead reaches for the beanie in his mouth. He misses though and the dog barks through the material and takes off towards the woman and dog. In the distance he can hear Jughead call for him and he sure hopes his owner isn’t terribly mad at him after this, but it’s with the determination to show him a new friend that Hot Dog catches up to the woman and her dog. 

“Hot Dog! Here boy!” Jughead calls as he tries to catch his breath. 

Hot Dog pays no attention almost runs straight into the woman, but veers last minute. 

She yelps, “What the--” 

“Hot Dog, bad boy! Come here.” 

His human is trying to catch him to put the leash back on but he’s too quick. Instead, Hot Dog runs under the leash of the other dog and back around effectively tying Jughead and the woman together. 

What happens next though, Hot Dog feels very badly about. 

_Uh oh._

With a shout, Jughead loses his balance, and slips on the side of the pond pulling the woman down with him. 

_He is drowning! I must save him._

Hot Dog drops the beanie to tug on Jughead’s pant leg to get him out of the water, but he’s already half way up and offering the woman his hand. 

“I am so sorry,” helping her out of the cold water. “I don’t know what got into him, he’s never run off like that before.” 

She looks down at herself, “Oh no, my new blouse!” The brown spotted barks and nudges Betty. “It’s okay, Caramel.” 

_Caramel._

_That’s the stuff Jughead gave me once._

_I don’t think I liked it, it stuck to my teeth._

_This Caramel is pretty though,_ Hot Dog thinks as he notices the female dog across from them. 

The woman looks up at Jughead, “It’s okay, I think I have some tissues in my bag.” She slings the small purse across her body only to find the packet soaked through. “Oh, dear.” 

“Here,” Jughead bends down quickly to pick up his beanie and offers it to her. “This might help.” 

It’s not until they realize that both the tissues and the hat are soaked through and they start laughing. Hot Dog is looking between the two of them as they do and notices a shift in his owner’s face. 

“Alright then, Caramel. Time to head home.” She turns to Hot Dog and teases him as she scratches behind his ear, “You might be a naughty boy Hot Dog, but you sure are cute. It was nice to meet you too...?” 

Realizing she’s referring him and not the dog and offers his hand to shake, “Oh, Jughead. I’m Jughead Jones.” 

“It’s nice to meet you bith. I’m Betty Cooper, and this is Caramel.” 

Hot Dog wags his tail excitedly and then nudges Jughead’s leg. 

HIs owner seems to get the hint and rubs the back of his neck, “Look, I hope this isn’t too forward but I feel awful about your blouse and for what Hot Dog did. My apartment is a short walk from here, could I offer you a cup of tea or coffee while your clothes dry?” Jughead’s face suddenly turns red, “Oh my god, that sounds really creepy, I’m sorry.” 

The woman laughs lightly, “It’s okay, I know what you meant.”

“I mean, just so you don’t catch a cold. It’s the least I can do.” 

She seems to hesitate a moment but agrees, “Alright, then. A cup of tea sounds really nice..” 

Jughead smiles and Hot Dog barks excitedly. Leash now firmly secured to his collar, they make their way towards Jughead’s flat. At one point the woman stops them, “What’s your address? I need to text my friend to make sure she knows where I am.” 

“Oh, uh...of course!” Jughead gives her the information and smiles. “I hope I don’t come off as a creepy serial killer or anything.” 

“No, but I did notice the now waterlogged copy of _In Cold Blood_ in your jacket pocket. So I take it you’re either a serial killer looking for inspiration or a true crime aficionado. The later is much more preferred, just so you know.” 

Jughead smiles at Betty, and it’s a happy smile Hot Dog hasn’t seen on him in a very long time. 

...

_Heaven help me, he’s American._

_My mum is going to have an absolute kanipshin._

_Brilliant._

Betty can’t deny how unfortunate it is to be dragged into a duck pond by a large dog on a chilly autumn day. When that dog belongs to a funny and quite handsome man, she supposes there are worse ways to spend her afternoon. 

On the short walk to his flat from the park, Betty learned that he moved to London from New York, is a jingle writer by trade, and likes Truman Capote. 

“You write those catchy tunes on the commercials?” 

“Some of them, yeah. My partner, Archie Andrews, writes the music and I do all of the lyrics. It’s not Simon and Garfunkel but it pays the bills.” 

Betty thinks it’s a little strange, but he obviously likes to read so that’s a good sign. Caramel too, seems to be making a friend in Hot Dog. 

His flat isn’t huge, but it is cozy, not unlike her own. The difference is that while all of her books are shelved appropriately on her book shelves, Jughead seems to have his stacked in precariously high piles around the flat. She startled when she steps on a loud squeaky toy and takes it to mean that Jughead had not taught Hot Dog to put his dog toys away like she had with Caramel. 

“Here, let me get that.” Jughead picks up the toy and tosses towards Hot Dog and Caramel. The space is by no means messy or dirty, but he apologizes all the same. “We weren’t expecting company, I’m sorry.” 

“No, it’s fine! I’m just admiring your book collection. It’s expansive” 

“Feel free to browse all you’d like. Do you uh--” he looks mildly uncomfortable. “Would you like to change into one of my shirts so that I can dry yours?” 

Betty looks down at the soaked garment, “Oh, yes please. Thank you.” 

He goes into what she suspects is the bedroom and comes out with a shirt for her to borrow and shows her to the bathroom where she can change. 

Betty closes the door to the small bathroom and looks at herself in the mirror. Thank god she's applied waterproof mascara this morning. Her hair was up in a ponytail, but still managed to get wet during the fall. She carefully removes the hair tie and fluffs out her hair. It might become a wavy mess, but it’s better than leaving her drenched strands in a ponytail. The shirt Jughead had given her, an olive green with a ‘S’ on the front, feels much softer and warmer than her soaked blouse. 

When she comes out of the bathroom she can hear Jughead in the kitchen, and looks over to see Hot Dog and Caramel rummaging around in what looks like a box of dog toys. Betty walks about and squats down to read the scribbled handwritten label, _Hot Dog’s Toys_. 

“That’s so nice of you to share, Hot Dog.” She notices Caramel chewing on a stuffed duck toy on Hot Dog’s bed. He picks out another squeaky bone for himself and goes to chew on it beside her. 

“So at the risk of embarrassing myself in front of a true Brit, please excuse this probably poor excuse for a cup of tea. I---” he stops short with a small tray in his hands. 

“Is everything, okay?” Betty asks.

He clears his throat. “Yes. Sorry, it’s just that uh, that color is nice on you. The green, I mean. It matches your eyes.” 

Betty can feel the heat rise in her cheeks, “Oh, thank you. And thank you for letting me borrow it. I’m already much warmer.” 

“You’re welcome.” She sees his adam’s apple bob, and he holds up the tray in his hands,“This should help too, have a seat.” 

Betty sits down on the small couch as Jughead sets the tray down in front of her. He takes her blouse, his flannel, and beanie and hangs them on the grate near the fireplace in front of the couch. She raises an impressed eyebrow at the tea set; a small red teapot with matching cups. “And here you said you’d made a poor excuse for a cup of tea.” 

Jughead smiles. “The set, along with a lesson in how to properly brew a pot of tea, was a goodbye gift from my sister, Jelly Bean.” 

“That was really sweet of her. Wait, I’m sorry. Did you say your sister’s name was Jelly Bean?” 

He chuckles, “Yeah, but Jelly Bean and Jughead are nicknames. The real thing? Much worse.” 

Betty doesn’t push it farther but stores that thought for later. Once the tea is brewed, Jughead carefully pours her some and hands her the mug. It’s warm in her hands and smells delicious. She takes a sip, “This is great, thank you. Consider me impressed with your tea brewing abilities.” 

Jughead grins, “Why, thank you. Too be honest, I drink coffee more often than not but forgive the assumption that because you’re bristish you’d automatically like tea.” 

“No offense taken, I drink tea more often than not.” Jughead seems to preen at her praise and something lovely flutters in Betty’s chest. 

They sit on the couch for what seems like hours, sharing stories of their work, their dogs and lives. She asks about the piano in the corner and he admits that he doesn’t play well, but knows enough to plunk out the notes when he needs help writing along with one of Archie’s songs. It’s late in the evening, and Betty is already feeling quite taken by Jughead. He’s smart and witty, and has a boyish smile that makes her heart beat a little faster. 

In the corner, Caramel and Hot Dog are both asleep while Hot Dog snores lightly. “Well, they seem quite taken with one another, don’t they?” Jughead hums in confirmation. “I’d hate to leave and make them part. I don’t know what I’d do with a broken hearted dalmatian.” 

“Yeah,” he says quietly. “That would be awful. We should definitely make plans for them to see each other again. Can’t have two moping dogs.” 

Betty finds herself excited by the prospect of spending more time with Jughead; and for Caramel and Hot Dog too. “No, no that would be just awful. We should definitely make plans,” she says she brings her teacup to her lips. 

“In the meantime, would like another cup of kisses?” 

Betty sputters into her cup, “Excuse me? What was that you said?” 

“Uh, _Tea._ I asked if you would like another cup of tea.”

She corrects him, “No, you asked if I’d like another cup of kisses.” 

The way flustered look on his face is adorable. “I did? Oh, sorry about that I meant tea.” 

Maybe it’s the deep blue of his eyes and how they keep darting to her lips but Betty hears herself saying, “I would. If you asked, I mean.” 

“You would?” he asks hopefully. 

“I would,” her voice coming out more breathy than she expected. “I do.” 

A moment later, she closes her eyes and revels in the way his lips feels against hers. 

…

**A few years later**

“Do you, Fors--”

He interrupts the officiate quickly, “Jughead, please.” He can hear Betty’s soft giggle and he squeezes her hand where he can feel the metal of her rings on his. 

“Do you, Jughead Jones, take Betty Cooper to be your lawfully wedded wife?” 

Jughead looks at Betty through glassy eyes and all of the adoration he can muster. His voice is thick when he says, “I do.” 

“Wonderful. By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.” 

He surges forward to capture Betty’s lips and dip her into a long kiss. They break a part for a breathe and he’s struck again with just how _beautiful_ his she is. Beside him, he hears Caramel and Hot Dog bark excitedly alongside their friends and family.

Jughead can’t resist stealing another kiss from Betty, “I can’t believe this all happened because my dog accidently knocked us into a pond. 

Hot Dog barks loudly and Betty laughs as she presses her forehead into Jughead’s, “Maybe it wasn’t an accident after all.” Jughead laughs and looks down to see the two dogs nuzzling one another. 

It’s seems as if today, was also important for the canine couple. 

...

**Two Months Later**

Betty rushes out of the kitchen and into the living room where Jughead and an anxious Hot Dog await. 

“ _101_! ” she says incredulously. Her own rounded belly bouncing with excitement. “I can’t believe it, Jug. My, where did they all come from?” 

Jughead ruffles the dog’s ears, “Oh-ho, Hot Dog, you ol’ rascal!” 

**Author's Note:**

> Look, y'all. I love Bughead and I love dogs, so this just happened. 
> 
> I cannot be held liable for any dentist fees for fixing the sweet and fluffy induced cavity that this piece gave you. So, I’m sorry about that. 
> 
> Come find me on tumblr @Bettsc


End file.
